Kevin Durant scored 16 of his 41 points in the last quarter, pushing Oklahoma City into the second round of the playoffs with a 100-97, Game 5 win over the Denver Nuggets.
Thunder Vs. Nuggets, Final Score: Durant Scores 41, Oklahoma City Advances With 100-97 Victory
Russell Westbrook overcame a 3-for-15 shooting slump and had 14 points for the fourth-seeded Thunder, who will play either top seed San Antonio or Memphis in the Western Conference semifinals. It was the first playoff series win for the team since moving to Oklahoma City. The franchise’s last postseason triumph came in 2005 when the Seattle SuperSonics upended Sacramento in five games in the first round.
Serge Ibaka was a force inside with nine blocks, one off the NBA playoff record. That included a crucial swat of an attempted Nene jam in the final minute.
Durant hit a huge jumper with 12 seconds remaining and blocked a three-point try from J.R. Smith. The Thunder then survived Arron Afflalo’s missed three- point try as time expired to advance.
Denver, which blew a 91-82 lead in the final quarter, was led by Afflalo’s 15 points.
Be sure to check out our Thunder vs. Nuggets hub for full series coverage. For more on the Thunder, visit Welcome To Loud City. For more on the Nuggets, visit Denver Stiffs and SB Nation Denver.
See More:
